A Tale of Bad Drivers

These are the healthiest and tastiest little packages of vegetables you can come across. Steamed? Check. Not oily? Check. Full of veggies? Check. You could literally eat a basketful and it would still be acceptable. How do I know this? Well, because the first time I ever made this recipe, I basically ate that much, and I’m fine (if not better for it 😛 )

Read on for the recipe!

I have literally had no inspiration to write these days. Hence the fact it has been two weeks since I have posted. And mind you, it’s not like I’ve been a mega busy with university work, or extracurricular activities. I’ve been pretty constantly just not doing my uni work (haha catch up is for exam time, you know what I’m saying?) and I’ve been too lazy for the most part to go into the city (around 1 1/2 hrs from my place).

So I guess the real question is what have I been doing?

Well, that, and why am I not inspired… I’m just in a little bit of a slump I suppose, I’m sure it will lift eventually right? Nothing lasts forever so just bear this slump out with me please? 🙂

I don’t really have anything juicy to share with you guys, because the one juicy thing I do have to just can’t be shared quite yet. As was pointed out, when it comes to secrets, I am a tease 😉 I flirt around the edges of the content, I use pretty obvious hinting words and chuck in a few giggles for good measure.

Such. A. Tease. 😛

I do however, have a little rant story to share with you. You all love my whinging, I know it 😉

I just want to point out to everyone that people who can’t drive, or who can but abuse that privilege to do stupid, ignorant things because they feel like god, should get. off. the. road. Those fullstops better be making the emphasis in this post like they are in my mind! And ain’t nobody got time to be living fast and furiously! Contradictory statement but you get my drift. See what I did there???

Super self-high-fiving right now!

SO ANYWAYS, I was casually driving around a week ago. My memory is so impaired that I can’t even remember where I was going. Hippocampus, up your game mate! JOKES, I made you this way, relying on my phone for everything! Sorry for giving evolution the finger because of modern technology 😛

ANYWAYS (tangents, tangents, tangents), I was tailgated for a while. Ok, that’s cool. Well, no actually, it’s not but I’ve had that happen to me before, so whatever right? It’s like some people see P Platers (green Ps, mind you!), and either they turn into idiots or assume I am an idiot. But again, moving on (I have to stress that to myself 😛 ), this older woman (I was surprised because yes, usually it is a man and I’m sorry, that’s not stereotyping, that’s statistics!) may as well have been having her car kiss my… bumper.

Way. Too. Close.

So I did the obvious thing. I slowed down to snail’s pace. Lady, you want to be annoying, I’ll slow down till you have to pass me and leave me alone right? So yes, she got the point and went to change lanes to come back and get ahead of me. When she started coming back into my lane, I had stomp on the breaks SUPER hard because in her lane change, her bumper came thiiiiiis close to my car front. Cut me off much? I of course, horned her, because as much as I like to be coolheaded when I drive, this lady was a lunatic. And not even a good lunatic, a straight out crazy one!

She changed back into the other lane, because cray-cray, and then we got to the traffic lights. Side on side, my curiosity got the better of me and I turned to my side to see who this lady was. And what do I see? An angry red face, mouthing cuss words I’m sure and a motioning me to role down my window. Obviously she was an older woman because who even has roll-down windows anymore? Less effort people, this is the 21st century!

In retaliation I did what I had to do. I laughed. I laughed at her face 😛 And that just infuriated her more. I locked my door, but didn’t point because my parents taught me better and laughed for a while at the traffic lights. Then I drove away into the distance, never to see her again.

There wasn’t a sunset but I was cool with that 🙂

So have you ever come across such an awful driver dear readers? Have any of you had the misfortune? I’m sure you have, it seems like the roads aren’t safe from those lacking common sense!

Oh well, at least we always have uber tasty momos (what we call dumplings in India) when we come home 🙂

And sorry for the pretty bad photos, my camera was on the fritz when these were made so i had to rely on phone alone!

Vegetarian Momos w/ Tomato Chutney

Recipe Source: We (mum and I, not my imaginary friend and I) used the dumpling dough from Spontaneous Tomato

Ingredients:

Dumpling Dough

2 cups plain flour

3/4 cup boiling water

Vegetable Filling

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cups shredded cabbage

1/2 cup carrot, grated

1 cup capsicum, finely chopped

1/8 cup coriander, finely chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp soy sauce

1 tbs vegetable oil

Tomato Chutney

3 tomatoes, medium

1-2 red chillis (smaller = more chilli)

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

4-5 curry leaves

1/4 cup coriander, chopped finely (optional)

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/4-1/2 tsp salt, according to taste

Method:

Start with the chutney. Put all its ingredients in a food processor and process till they become a fine paste.

Put the 1 tsp of oil into a deep pan on high heat.

Once oil is hot, pour in the mustard seeds. Once it starts to sizzle and spit, drop in the curry leaves and the fine paste.

Reduce the heat to low, and let simmer till all the water has evaporated, stirring occasionally so the bottom chutney doesn’t catch and burn on the pan’s bottom. You can put in the coriander if you desire at this point, and it should be ready between 15-25 minutes.

While that’s happening, start making the vegetable filling. On a separate stove on medium heat, once again heat the 1 tbs oil in a frypan.

Once it is hot, put all the vegetables together into the pan.

Stirring continuously, sprinkle with salt and soy sauce according to taste.

After 10-15 minutes of sautee-ing, they should be cooked and limp. Drain the excess water from the vegetables and put them in a strainer to cool.

While they are cooling, make the dough. Put the flour in a large bowl and pour in the boiling water. First, use a wooden spoon to mix it together and once cool enough to touch, turn onto a clean surface dusted with extra flour and knead for 7-10 minutes.

Once smooth and pliable, wrap the dough in plastic after firing a disk and let it rest for an hour at room temperature.

Once the dough has rested, roll it out on a floured surface into lots of 5cm thick ropes. Slice off a small portion from the end of the rope, roll it into a small circle and place 1 tbs of filling into it.

Fold the dough over the filling and seal the ends to create a cool crimp pattern, and place the momo on a baking sheet, draped in plastic to avoid them drying out.

Repeat for the rest of the dough and the remaining vegetables,

Place your vegetables in your steamer (ours is what we make traditional Indian idlis in, and is basically a holder on a stand that you put inside a pot of boiling water so the water can’t touch the dough) and steam for 15-20 minutes.

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61 Comments

Yeah, I get into a bit of a lazy mode to when it comes to blogging. I go through times where it would take me 2-3 weeks before I can blog again. On another note, that’s such an easy recipe fornthe dumpling wrappers! I wouldnso make that tomato chutney. I reckon it would be nice in a toastie too!

I have been both in a writing slump AND super busy, so it all worked out for me really.
Also, don’t get me started about bad drivers! I live in Richmond, British Columbia, and they even made a Facebook page showing how people really don’t know how to operate their cars.https://www.facebook.com/RichmondLearnstoPark

I have a similar driving experience to share. I was going down a two lane road at a medium speed and a family of ducks started to cross. So I slowed down to avoid them–just slowed, didn’t slam on the brakes and the man behind me got really huffy. He gunned around me and just up the road (when the ducks were done and I’d picked up speed again, he pulled in front of me and slammed on his brakes. Fortunately I didn’t hit him. There really are some crazies out there. If they can’t handle driving you’ve got to wonder how they handle real life challenges. I think your laughing was the perfect response! Love your recipe BTW–I think this would be a kid pleaser in our house!

I have totally seen bad drivers like that before and like you, I slow down to a snail’s pace too. XD Great minds think alike! There are just too many lunatics on the road these days, makes it not safe!

OH my girl… You and I could have a good ol’ chat about the rudeness of drivers! Lunatics who should not be on the road, lol! Thank you for sharing this… You make me realize I am not they only one that they drive absolutely buggy! Dumplings look absolutely delicious, too!

I love that you laughed.. that’s the best way to infuriate someone who is raging! Just be safe my friend.. sometimes people do crazy things to sweet girls like you! Love your healthy recipe and yes, sometimes I get in a blogging slump too. I haven’t been able to read blogs and I find reading other people’s work really helps get me motivated again:D

I’m glad you made it through safely and I can see how you would burst out laughing – you have such a great sense of humor! But here, at least, they always say it’s best not to engage with crazy people. You never know what they might do and she had already proven to you that your life and safety were just a toy for her amusement and power trip.

But your dumplings! Oh my! I am pinning these – they look so amazing! Thank you for this recipe – I can already tell I love the dumplings AND the sauce and i can’t wait to make them.

What a dickhead that woman is! I can’t stand people who tail you that close, I would have done the same thing slowing down. Plus I might have hurled some lovely words at her but laughing works too. Glad you had these delicious dumplings to come home to, it would have made up for the bad behaviour of that woman.

I guess we all have stories about poor drivers. A couple of months ago, a driver yelled at me because he was blocking the road I wanted to turn down. (I’m serious. He motioned me to roll down my window, I did because I thought he was going to apologize. He called me a name and told me I should drive around the block!)
On the plus side, this is one delicious post!

What delightful veggie Momos! I wish I could eat one right now 🙂 I’m so sorry about your bad driver experience. I used to let people like that get to me but I try not now. There are so many crazy drivers out there today – it’s defensive driving always. I saw a semi-trailer run a red light today!

There are days i get home from being on the freeway and remark that it’s a miracle I survived! LOL! It’s a true jungle out there, isn’t it? Your little dumplings look absolutely stunning, and the photography is just fine! I can’t wait to make them and I will! It’s good to hear from you whenever you get around to sharing. You don’t have to account for your time…hope you’re having fun! 🙂

Oh yes! I got rear ended by a terrible, probably drunk driver at the fastest lane on the freeway about a month ago. It was night and he/she drove away! I had my family (kids too) and thank god everyone was safe and only injury was my neck from whiplash. Seriously, no matter how well you drive, there are always bad and terrible driver out there. Be safe!!! Anyway… loving your vegetarian mono! Healthy and delicious. Win win!

As you know … I’m vegetarian … but I truly would enjoy something like this. I can feel the aroma from the steaming hot pot.
Somebody has said, that there is *Until you’ve learned to drive, you’ve never really learned how to swear. You be careful out there …. and I like your “nailwork”. Have a good week, friend.

There have been so many times when I wanted to lash out at crazy drivers or follow them to see where they are going. Of course I didn’t, but still. The dumplings look like they should be my lunch and hope your slump ends soon.

These veggie momos sound delish! What a horrible driver, I’m so pleased to hear that you laughed in her face, tailgating is so dangerous for everyone and completely unnecessary. If everyone followed the road rules, as they should, how good would that be? But there’s always going to be rule benders/breakers because they think it saves them time, or makes them cool – I don’t really know! Keep driving well and cooking and eating well my friend!